How can you tell if a heater control valve is working?
A quick test to see if it’s working is to feel the hose before and after the valve. If it’s the same temperature after the valve, it’s open and working fine. You must have the heat on when doing this test. If the outlet is cool or cold and the inlet is hot, look to the valve for the issue. It might not be the valve’s fault though.
Where is the heater control valve located on a car?
The heater control valve is a cooling and hvac system component that is commonly found on many road going cars and trucks. The heater control valve is typically mounted near the firewall, and acts as the valve that allows coolant to flow from the engine to the heater core, which is located inside of the vehicle.
What is the average rating of a heater control valve?
Average rating from 129,829 customers who received a Vehicle Engine Cooling Inspection. The heater control valve is a cooling and hvac system component that is commonly found on many road going cars and trucks.
What happens if a heater control valve breaks?
One of the first symptoms of a faulty heater control valve is a heater that fails to produce warm air. If the heater control valve breaks or gets stuck, the coolant flow to the heater core may be restricted or stopped completely. Without coolant flow to the heater core, the heater will not be able to produce warm air for the cabin.
How does a heater control valve work in a car?
In some cars, the heat is regulated by a heater control valve that controls the flow of hot engine coolant from the engine to the car’s heater core. On older vehicles, the valve is operated by a cable, while newer vehicles used a vacuum actuator controlled valve. A heater control valve can fail in several ways.
The heater control valve (or hot water valve) opens to allow hot coolant from the engine to flow through the heater core, which heats the air supplied to the passenger compartment. Adjusting the temperature may not change the output from the heater. Valve may leak coolant.
How does a faulty heater control valve affect cooling?
NOTE: The heater control valve is a directional valve. Make sure the water flow follows the direction of the arrow. As the engine heats up, the water transfers heat to the coil, thus overpowering the A/C coil. A leaking or faulty valve will have a more pronounced effect on the unit’s cooling ability.
How to check the temperature of a heater control valve?
Then check the temperature of the hose on the inlet and outlet sides of the heater control valve. The inlet and outlet hoses should be the same temperature. If the inlet side is warmer than the outlet side, the valve isn’t opening or opening fully. Remove the vacuum line from the vacuum motor and check for engine vacuum.
What to do if your heater control valve breaks?
On a cable operated system, the cable can break or detach from the control levers, leaving the valve in the fully open position. Adjust the heat to the full on position with the engine at operating temperature. Then check the temperature of the hose on the inlet and outlet sides of the heater control valve.